Thursday, July 30, 2015

Morning to myself: Walking, reading, straightening out a few financial matters (O dread). After a somewhat restless night (that bed is becoming less and less my friend), I woke late (7-ish) and walked to Jefferson Rd. and back. One far-off deer, no pics (nothing inspired a snap). Reading-wise I've pitted Mommsen's Rome against Richard Miles' Carthage.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Salammbo rose like her husband, with a cup in her hand, to drink also. She fell down again with her head lying over the back of the throne, -- pale, stiff, with parted lips, -- and her loosened hair hung to the ground.

Thus died Hamilcar's daughter for having touched the mantle of Tanith.

Night fell; clouds accumulated above the Baal. The funeral-pile, which was flameless now, formed a pyramid of coals up to his knees; completely red like a giant covered with blood, he looked, with his head thrown back, as though he were staggering beneath the weight of his intoxication.

In proportion as the priests made haste, the frenzy of the people increased; as the number of the victims was diminishing, some cried out to spare them, others that still more were needful. The walls, with their burden of people, seemed to be giving way beneath the howling of terror and mystic voluptuousness. Then the faithful came into the passages, dragging their children, who clung to them; and they beat them in order to make them let go, and handed them over to the men in red. The instrument-players sometimes stopped through exhaustion; then the cries of the mothers might be heard, and the frizzling of the fat as it fell upon the coals. The henbane-drinkers crawled on all fours around the colossus, roaring like tigers; the Yidonim vaticinated, the Devotees sang with their cloven lips; the trellis-work had been broken through, all wished for a share in the sacrifice; -- and fathers, whose children had died previously, cast their effigies, their playthings, their preserved bones into the fire.

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Good ride. The time flew. Dining car fare: Don't bother. Not much to see (a few deer, green and green, glimpses of the stations). A nice sunset but it was on the other side of the train. The only decent pic I got was of the Niles station. It should've had another sign hanging: Birthplace of Ring Lardner.

Wells runs under the L and it has a slew of restaurants (many with ethnic stripes). Pierogi Heaven looked a little worn from the outside, was very simple on the inside (reminding me just a smidgen of a place I fell upon in Krakow years ago), but dispensing delicious dumplings with a variety of fillings. I had nine, 3 each of mushroom, mushroom/kraut, and potato/farmer cheese. I also had a small cup of borscht.

Had to charge my phone, so I sat in a Bucks (one on every other corner) for over an hour. Though most of the Polish restaurants I found online were unwalkable, I found a pierogi place with good reviews 0.25 miles away. Goal: Pierogi Heaven. Before and after PH, I'd take a few pics. Remember: I had till 6.

Left Crystal Lake and returned to Chicago. Goal: Taking the Amtrak to Jackson, MI. The Metra was doubly cheap because it was the weekend, but I had to buy the ticket onboard. Once there I exited, entered Union Station from Madison (see pics below), and tried to purchase Amtrak tickets on the Wolverine (to Jackson) for 3:10. Sold out! So I had to buy tickets for the 6:00 pm train and hang around a bit. Not a problem. Chicago, like any big city, sucks up time.